Term limits for the trio

February 22, 2017

Ruane, Harrity and Denham have been on the job too long. Sadly, we can oust only one. Perhaps, you have noticed their full page ads and your mail box filled with their glossy brochures. They must be digging into the deep pockets of the tourist industry to finance this self promotion.

All of them brag about their accomplishments, but fail to mention their attempt to give themselves a nice salary and to take preserved wetlands for parking lots and walkways.

Mr. Ruane talks incessantly about his accomplishments to protect our water, but in fact, the river and estuary are as polluted as ever. He has also done nothing substantial to solve our traffic problems, but is more interested in promoting the tourist industry that will increase traffic.

Mr. Harrity's main accomplishment was to build a huge restaurant despite citizen opposition. The restaurant violates Sanibel's dark sky law and the lights and noise disturb it's neighbors. It pays to have clout with city hall.

Mr. Denham is so proud of his fertilizer ordinance, but never mentions the massive amount of fertilizer and pesticides that run off from agricultural fields into our water. If he was serious about protecting the environment, then he should advocate the total elimination of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on Sanibel.

The trio often points to the Rec Center as their shining accomplishment. The facility is wonderful, but is underutilized at least eight months of the year. On some days, there are more life guards than swimmers and more office workers than people in the work out room. The membership cost to Sanibel's citizens goes up every year, but the Rec Center is still over budget. The old swimming pool and gym needed maintenance and perhaps a new weight room and a wading pool for children to be perfectly adequate. The Rec Center is not a good example for a city council that brags about saving money for citizens. The citizens of Sanibel should insist on a review of the finances and utilization of the Rec Center before embarking on the next grandiose project, now being proposed by the city-the senior center. There is plenty of room at the Rec Center for us seniors. Is a new facility really necessary?

Mr. Jason Maughan, when he ran for state office, challenged the politicians, who benefit from Big Sugar money and do nothing about water quality. He also has spoken out against Lee County's incessant advertising of Sanibel as a tourist destination.

Mr. Maughan is a lawyer, a long-time citizen of Sanibel and seems to have the islands best interests at heart. He is the only candidate who appears knowledgeable about the toxic chemicals in our water that causes cancer in children. He is running for city council against a powerhouse that has the backing of the tourist industry.